Tuesday, October 8, 2013

KinetiFix Exam #2 - Scapular Upward Rotation



KinetiFix Exam #2 – Scapular Upward Rotation


Before we go into the second self-movement test let’s briefly review the two most common CrossFit shoulder injuries:

Two Most Common CrossFit Shoulder Injuries

1.)    Impingement - Proper shoulder strength and flexibility will give you the best chance of avoiding wear and tear injuries.  The two most common injuries that we see in CrossFit athletes, weight lifters and overhead athlete’s shoulders are impingement and labrum tears.  Impingement occurs when the muscles of the shoulder that keep the arm bone (humerus) down are too weak or too tired, allowing it to move upward and rub on the roof of the shoulder.  This causes soft tissue trauma, inflammation and pinching in the shoulder.  If you feel this, it is time to stop and get it looked at by a musculoskeletal therapist.  This wear and tear can lead to more serious problems like rotator cuff tears and an arthritic shoulder. 

General Rule for all injuries:  You have to let the healing outweigh the injury.  Outpacing your body’s ability to recover and repair the tissues you have broken down through training will cause injuries.

2.)    Labrum Tears - Because the shoulder socket (glenoid fossa) is so shallow it allows for a great range of motion.  To improve the depth of the shoulder socket we have a fibrocartilaginous ring called the labrum.  The labrum adds stability to the shoulder while allowing it to keep its great mobility.  The labrum tends to get torn in weightlifters as well as other overhead sports.  Most small labrum tears can be rehabilitated but the larger ones may need surgery to correct. 

KinetiFix Exam #2 – Scapular Upward Rotation

Because CrossFit relies heavily on the health of your shoulders, I find it important to keep our self-movement exam on the shoulder for a while.  My last post had you assess your shoulder’s internal and external range of motion.  Did you have any notable findings?

*A lack in shoulder internal rotation - can be influenced by posterior shoulder musculature.

 *A lack of shoulder external rotation - can be influenced by tightness in your lats, pecs, subscapularis and anterior deltoid. 

Our next test is scapular upward rotation:

To perform this self-exam stand facing a wall with your arm overhead in 90 degrees of flexion.  


Next lift your arm off the wall.  Normal is about 135 degrees of motion without shrugging your shoulders or arching your lower back.  Scapular upward rotation is influenced by serratus anterior strength, lower trapezius strength, pectoralis major muscle length and shoulder external rotation range of motion.



By identifying suboptimal range of motion you will help yourself prevent injuries.  A decrease in scapular upward rotation may cause CrossFit athletes to compensate by hyperextending their lower backs on their overhead lifts.  Lower back hyperextension can cause serious injuries such as fractures, facet syndrome and disc herniations.  Work to improve scapular upward mobility and you can even reduce your risk for these lower back issues.

How did you do?

Please email me at DrToddRodman@aim.com if you found an inability to perform this test.  I can set you up with a specific treatment program consisting of therapies, stretching and exercises that will help to avoid injury and optimize athletic performance.

Stay Strong,

Dr. T-Rod
Sports Medicine Chiropractor, FAU Official Team Chiropractor, CrossFit level 1 coach, Director of CrossFit SE Regional Athlete Services, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS)

Monday, September 23, 2013

KinetiFix Self-Movement Exam #1



Around Hardcore I am known as T-Rod but many others know me as Dr. Todd Rodman, Sports Medicine Chiropractor.  I am the director of athlete services for the CrossFit SouthEast Regionals, Team Chiropractor for FAU Athletics and have been on the medical staff at Ironman competitions, the past two CrossFit Games and many other sporting events.  As well as being a Sports Chiro I am a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Level 1 CrossFit Trainer and Certified CrossFit Mobility Specialist.  I love the sport of CrossFit and learned a lot by training with Hardcore for the past 3+ years as well as providing therapy for hundreds of CrossFit athletes.  I have a deep knowledge of injuries and injury prevention and am here to help you in any way possible.  I am going to open up this forum as a way to communicate, host discussions and write about topics that may help your health and athletic performance.  If you have any topics that you would like me to cover please email me at DrToddRodman@aim.com to let me know your ideas. 

The first and most important topic that I could cover is movement.  Poor movement patterns combined with high intensity exercise provides a great risk for injury.  Improper movement otherwise known as poor biomechanics will be present before symptoms of pain occur.  The best way to avoid injuries at CrossFit or anywhere in life is to understand your movement patterns and work to correct the bad ones.  The first series of posts will cover different movement tests for you to try on your own.  I call this series of movement tests KinetiFix.  I created and trademarked the KinetiFix examination to help people identify their poor movement patterns and give them corrective strategies on how to fix them.  Kinetics is the branch of science dedicated to the study of movement.  The KinetiFix analysis is dedicated to assessing and correcting movement dysfunction. 

The first test in this series is super important because shoulder range of motion is key for all overhead movements.  I am not just talking about the more complex Olympic lifting movements but even bar work such as pull-ups rely on a good range of shoulder external rotation or movement compensations will occur.  You can think of movement compensations as our musculoskeletal systems way to complete a movement by using a suboptimal movement pathway to complete the desired task.  For example, I once closed my car door by the inside door lock.  When I did this my door lock wobbled and my inner biomechanical nerd came out to talk to me.  He said that is a classic movement compensation and by using the door lock to close the door I was able to achieve the desired task of closing the door.  However, if I was to do that a dozen more times that door lock would probably rip off because it is being used improperly.  This is similar to a muscle or joint that is being used improperly and eventually experiencing symptoms of pain after it cannot tolerate the excessive stress that is being placed on it

First movement test: Supine shoulder internal and external rotation
·        
       Lay yourself face up on a bench, bed or table with your arm hanging off and bent 90 degrees at the elbow.


·          Externally rotate your arm and you should get 90 degrees of motion (use your best judgment when measuring).  


·         Next internally rotate your arm with the elbow bent at 90 degrees and you should get 70 degrees range of motion.  To do it best have someone place a light pressure on your glenohumeral joint (ball and socket of the shoulder) so that your shoulder doesn’t cheat and slide anterior giving a false range of motion.




·         If you do not get these full ranges of motion you may be at risk of injury.  Email me with your findings and I can send you some strategies on how to improve this biomechanical deficiency.

Let’s keep it at this for now.  My next post will cover some more movement tests and what you can do to fix them if they are suboptimal. 

Dr. T-Rod

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Flu season is here: 10 ways to naturally protect yourself



Flu season is here and back with a vengeance.  Here are a 10 tips on how to protect yourself and build a spartan like army as your immune system.

1.)  Sleep - We all know how important sleep is but still many are sleep deprived.  We need at least 6 hours per night or we can go ahead and pretty much expect to get the flu.  Less than 6 hours of sleep makes us 30% immune deficient the next day.

2.)  Water - We are almost 70% water, water is mainly what our blood is composed of too.  We need plenty of water to transport vital nutrients to our cells.  Use this equation to prevent dehydration:

Your weight / 16 = The # of 8 oz. glasses of water you need to drink per day.

3.)  Wash hands often - Alright captain obvious so far this article is telling you nothing that you do not already know.  However, I could not make a top ten list without including the most important ways to avoid an infection and boost immunity.  Wash your hands often with anti-bacterial soap and avoid touching your face.

4.)  Amino Acids - These are the building blocks of protein synthesis.  Protein is what our immune system needs build cells that defeat foreign invaders.  Whether you are up againt the flu virus or something as tough as cancer you need to increase your amino acid intake to give your immune system enough ammo to fight a battle.  I recommend an amino acid called MAP (Master Amino Pattern) that is used by cancer patients as well as Tour de France cyclists to increase protein levels.

5.)  Proteolytic Enzymes - These enzymes digest protein and can be taken in two ways.  First, they can be used with food to digest protein and spare your bodies own proteolytic enzymes.  The more that we can spare our own natural source of these enzymes the more we will have for battling foreign invaders.  Second, we can use these enzymes away from food to digest bacteria and viruses.  When taken away from food they enter our bloodstream and target the protein rich wall of a viral/baterial infection and digest it/destroy it.

6.)  Exercise - Exercise not only boosts endorphin levels which makes you feel great but sweating will help empty the 70 trillion garbage cans in our body (cellular waste).  When fighting a foreign invader our cells accumulate waste that needs to be exited through the avenues of elimination (skin, liver, kidneys, bowels).  Making sure our garbage collectors are emptying their trash cans is important in detoxification.

7.)  Infrared Sauna - Dry heat is another great way to sweat especially if you are too sick to move and exercise.  Find a sauna and detox or build one at home for about $500 with some PVC pipe, tenting materials and infrared bulbs from home depot for a quick made detox center.

8.)  Butter - This superfood has such a bad rap but has many great qualities.  Butter is composed of lauric acid which is the same fat that is in breast milk.  We all know it may be a little awkward to ask a breast feeding mom for a glass of the good stuff so go ahead and buy a stick of butter and spare yourself some strange looks.  Lauric acid has an anti viral, anti bacterial and anti microbial effect that helps to build a strong immune system.  Look for organic butter from grass fed cows for your best option.

9.)  Reduce sugar intake - Sugar feeds bacteria and helps it thrive.  Starve an infection by reducing sugar intake.  Sugar provides energy and should not be eliminated but good choices of sugar are the way to go. Natural sugars are in fruit and vegetables as well as honey and molasses – they should be part of a healthy diet. Processed sugars such as white or brown sugar and corn syrup should be avoided or limited.  Cut back on sugar-loaded foods such as candy, baked goods, sugary cereals and sodas to reduce your cancer risk and help to improve your immune system.

10.)  Juice Plus+® - I recommend this product for anyone looking to boost immunity.  This product is unlike many supplements because it has several unbiased peer reviewed scientific studies.  One of the studies showed Juice Plus+® was associated with fewer number of days with at least moderate common cold symptoms.  There are also many studies supporting Juice Plus+® and using it to increase immunity, increase anti oxidant capacity and help decrease oxidative stress from prolonged intense exercise.  It is a great way to get 17 different types of fruits and vegetables without the sugar.  It is also a great supplement for kids or anyone who does not get enough fruits and vegetables.

Here is the article on how Juice Plus+® reduces common cold symptoms:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3023145/

If you have any questions about any of these recommendations or where to get them please email me at DrToddRodman@aim.com.

Best of luck in an illness free 2013,

Dr. Todd Rodman, DC CSCS

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Reduce Cancer Diet

It has been a few years now since 3 people that 
I am close with were diagnosed with cancer in the 
same month.  I wanted to do all that I could to learn
about how to reduce the risk of cancer and help them 
beat cancer with nutrition.  My research led me to find a 
nutritionist named Pamela McDougle who uses the Kelley
Method to help many people get rid of tumors.  This 
information has been great for me to know but I would 
like to share it with all of you who may be interested.
 
Below are the dietary guidelines that she includes in her 
protocol.  There are also lifestyle changes and supplement 
recommendations that are extremely important especially if 
you are battling cancer.  This diet can help people without 
cancer. It is a great way to stay healthy and decrease your 
risk of getting this horrible disease.  If you have any 
questions or would like further information about the 
supplements and lifestyle modifications please feel free to 
contact me by email at DrToddRodman@aim.com or call our 
office at 561.313.9117. 
 
General diet guidelines

Vegetables: eat as many servings of that vegetables as you 
would like. There are no limits. Eat as much raw as possible.
Asparagus, avocado, artichoke, beets, broccoli, brussels 
sprouts, cabbage, carrots, Cauliflower, celery, collards, 
cucumbers, dark leafy lettuce, eggplant, escarole, garlic, 
kale, green and red peppers, leeks, onions, parsley, parsnips, 
radishes, rutabagas, sweet potatoes, spinach, sprouts, 
squash(all), turnips, tomatoes, yams.

Raw unpasteurized sauerkraut: Eat 1 tablespoon daily.
It may be ordered at gold mine 1–800-475–3663. 
Store-bought is heated and does not have the enzymes 
or lactic acid.

Nuts: almonds, Brazil nuts, filberts, pecans and walnuts.
Eat nuts raw, un-roasted without salt or sugar.
Please continue to eat 10 almonds at breakfast and at lunch.
(Note: two or 3 tablespoons of almond butter may be 
substituted for the almonds as long as the butter is raw.)

Soaking nuts and seeds in filtered water on the counter for
4 to 12 hours will release enzyme inhibitors and make them 
more digestible. Smaller seeds take four hours while larger 
seeds and nuts, such as almonds, require 12 hours. Note: 
drain and then re-immerse the seeds and nuts with clean water
once during the soaking process. Soak guidelines: almonds 
for 12 hours sunflower seeds for six hours in filtered water.

Seeds: sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
If you like seasoned snacks you can drain your soaked nuts 
and seeds, season, and dry using food dehydrator with the 
thermostat set no higher than 110°.

Sprouts: you may add any sprouts to your salad.
Sprouting: you may sprout beans, grains, nuts or seeds. 
Sprouting increases the nutritional content and makes them 
more easily absorbed. Purchase good organic seeds. Many good 
books on sprouting can be found at your health food store. A 
good one is by Ann Wigmore & Rodales "Basic Natural Foods 
Cookbook" is also a good choice. OHI has a catalog on 
purchasing organic seeds or the Herb and Spice Collection 
also has a catalog call 1–800–365–4372.

Beans: you may eat sprouted beans and cooked beans 2 to 3 
times per week.  Black beans, chickpeas, green beans, 
kidney beans, lentils, lima and pinto beans. Avoid soybeans, 
they have enzyme inhibitors. Also, avoid peanuts which 
harbor a mold that is carcinogenic.

Dr. Kelly always included the following tasty cooked bean 
recipe.  2 cups of any type of dried washed beans in a pot 
or covered ovenproof dish.  Add 5 cups of pure clean water, 
five garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of organic olive oil, 
1 teaspoon of sea salt and 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
1 or 2 tablespoons of molasses maybe added.
Cover the pot, place in your oven at 200° overnight 
(up to 15 hours).

Bread: you may have one slice of sprouted Ezekiel bread or 
one slice of sprouted manna bread daily. These may be found 
in the freezer section of your health food store.  You must 
avoid all refined grain products such as white flour and 
white rice.

Kelly's 14 grain cereal: should be eaten for the first 
six months of your program:
 
Prepare 3 to 4 tablespoons of the 14 grain make sure 
it follows:  The 14 grains are equal parts: wheatberries, 
buckwheat, barley, rye, oats, oat groats, millet, 
sesame seeds, brown rice, flaxseed, corn, alfalfa seeds, 
lentils, mung beans, almonds. Store the 14 grain mixture 
in a cool dry place.  Prepare 3 to 4 tablespoons of the 
14 grains mixture as follows: 
 
In the evening grind in seed grinder and place in a bowl 
and add apple juice or water.  Let soak overnight in the 
refrigerator.  In the morning you can add blueberries, 
organic vanilla and Stevia and eat it without cooking. 
Please eat this daily for the first six months of your 
program. It is full of nutrients and needed proteins and 
minerals.  Do not eat the 14 grain cereal if you're sensitive 
to grains or gluten intolerance. 
 
Dairy products: organic butter is acceptable and small 
amounts. Plain organic goat yogurt is okay two times weekly. 
The yogurt should have active cultures and not contain any 
sugar added chemicals. You maybe use berries and a small 
amount of organic vanilla and/or stevia with the yogurt.
 
Eggs: you may eat 1 to 2 organic eggs daily (if possible
 fertile). The eggs are to be soft-boiled or poached. 
You may eat the eggs with your 14 grain cereal if desired.
If you have estrogen positive cancer (breast or prostate) 
exclude eggs from your diet. 
 
Fish: you may eat salmon 2 to 3 times weekly. I recommend 
you only eat salmon that has been tested and free of heavy 
metals. You can purchase this fish from vital choice 
at 1-800-608-4825. 
 
Liver: liver is one of the most important mainstays of this 
nutritional program. Each day blend 3 - 6 tablespoons with 
your glass of green drink or with freshly made tomato juice. 
You may cut up the liver into tablespoon sized pieces and 
freeze. You can purchase frozen organic liver from your 
health food store. If you can't tolerate the raw liver you 
can substitute it with cytozyme-lv as follows: Three tablets 
with breakfast and three with dinner.This is a very 
important part of the program! 
 
Beverages: you may have herbal teas. 



Water: drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of pure water a day.
Do not drink water with your meals. 
 
Oils: olive oil or flaxseed oil in small quantities 
(1-2 tablespoons daily). Great when used and salad 
dressings. A small amount of coconut oil is also 
acceptable. 



Seasonings: you may use natural mineral or unrefined sea 
salt and non-irradiated herbs and spices.  Make sure to use
organic seasonings were possible. 



Poultry: I do not recommend poultry right away on this diet. 
There are microbes that some research is linked to cancer. 



Red meat: beef, lamb and pork are not allowed. 



Sweetener: a few drops of stevia is permissible.* 
 
 
Fruit: all organic berries are permissible as are frozen 
organic berries. Organic berries are an excellent choice. 



Juices: 2 to 4 glasses of fresh organic juice daily.
Juices may include carrot*, wheatgrass, celery, apple and 
all green leafy vegetables; beet tops, carrot tops, collards, 
escarole, kale, dark lettuce, parsley, spinach and swiss 
chard. 
 
The best juicer for the price is the Omega 8005 which costs 
approximately $259. You can order it by emailing health best 
products at healthbestorders@aol.com
 
Anyone with Candida or yeast overgrowth should eliminate 
carrot juice, all sweetners and fruit. 
 
Eat as much fresh organic product as possible: Eat as 
much raw as you want or lightly steam your vegetables. 
 
Canned or processed foods: no canned or processed foods. 
 
Water: never drink or use chlorinated or Fluoridated water. 
Use only clean filtered water. Use filtered water for
cooking, drinking and coffee enemas. 
 
Other products: Avoid fluoride toothpaste. Buy and use 
natural hair products. Do not use hair dyes, with the 
exception of naturcolor made by Herbaceuticals. Purchase 
small plastic pouches and presort a one-month supply of your 
supplements in advance for convenient dispensing. 


Cookbooks: purchase either or both of these cookbooks:
"Eat well and live" by Gwynn Palmer from Health Best Product. 
The recipes are specific to this nutritional program. And/or 
"The Whole life nutritional cookbook" by Alissa Segersten.